Publication

This Brief argues that 1) Africa’s senior defense and security officials must adopt higher standards of leadership to reshape Africa’s security forces into professional bodies capable of handling contemporary security threats and earning the respect of civilian populations; 2) politicians’ adherence to constitutional limits on power will avoid placing military officers in the untenable position of choosing between respecting civilian authority and upholding democracy; and 3) security cooperation and assistance from international partners should favor African states with a track record of responsible governance within the security sector.